Norman Sanson receives referee cap

Scottish Rugby has honoured one of the sport’s “great standard-bearers” by presenting him with his international referee’s cap.

Norman Sanson, proud son of Troon in Ayrshire, was a truly outstanding referee in the 1970s.

The cap presentation – following on from similar ceremonies involving Allan Hosie, Hollie Davidson, Mike Adamson, Ken McCartney, Eddie Murray, Iain Ramage, Chuck Muir, Malcolm Changleng, Rob Dickson, Brian Anderson and Jim Fleming – took place at Sanson’s former club, London Scottish last weekend.

Norman Sanson receives his cap, with Scottish Rugby vice-president Hazel Swankie, ahead of the RFU Championship match between London Scottish and Cambridge at Richmond Athletic Ground, Richmond, on 10 May 2025. Photo by Alan Stanford / PRiME Media Images

And the London Scottish first XV did Sanson proud too, posting a 60-33 Championship win against Cambridge.

Sanson, now 81, was revered for his application of the advantage law and his fearlessness in abhorring foul play, underlined when he sent off both Geoff Wheel and Willie Duggan in the 1977 Five Nations Championship match between Wales and Ireland.

A graduate of Glasgow University, Sanson was based initially in Newcastle, where he worked with Proctor & Gamble, before he moved to London where he eventually headed up the London office of the global consultancy, McKinsey.

His first international match was Wales v France in Cardiff in 1974 and he went on to referee some 17 other international fixtures involving the likes of South Africa, Ireland, Japan, Romania, Australia, Argentina, England and New Zealand.

He had the honour of refereeing the Barbarians against the British Lions in 1977, as part of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, and his final international was a narrow 10-9 win for New Zealand against England at Twickenham in 1979.

Scottish Rugby’s vice president, Hazel Swankie, presented the cap.

She said: “Norman was ahead of his time as a referee, a great standard-bearer, truly outstanding. He thoroughly deserves to receive his cap.”

Sanson said: “I am deeply touched. This (cap) will have pride of place in my smallish collection of memorabilia.”